About NASJA
The sport of skijoring began several hundred years ago in Scandinavian countries as a
way to travel during the long winters. Laplander's skied on Nordic skis holding the reins
attached to reindeer. In the mid 1950's, skijoring found its way to North America, where
ranchers attached a long rope to the saddle horn of a horse that was ridden at high
speeds down a long straight-away. Currently, the sport of equestrian skijoring has
become a highly specialized competitive sport, where competitors must navigate a
course of jumps, gates and sometime spear rings. Competitive skijoring competitions
are currently taking place in over 5 states in the USA, and in several countries worldwide.
In some parts of the world, skiers are pulled behind dogs, mules and snowmobiles.
Whatever the means, the sport of skijoring is growing rapidly, and is just as much fun for
spectators as it is for competitors.
On April 24th, 1999, directors from almost every major skijoring organization in the
Country, rendezvoused in Jackson Hole, Wyoming to begin a process that would change
the sport of skijoring forever. After several follow-up meetings, the North American Ski
Joring Association (NASJA) was developed. For the first time in history, equestrian
skijoring became a sanctioned sport!
NASJA was conceived because of a very basic need to consolidate existing skijoring
races into a circuit where competitors can earn points that go toward a National
Champion Award. By developing criteria that all NASJA sanctioned events abide by, each
competitor will have an equal opportunity at becoming the official National Ski Joring
Champion.
Earning NASJA points is simple: The Championship is based on a point structure from
daily runs at sanctioned races. The points from daily runs at the sanctioned races will be
added to the competitor's cumulative total. The NASJA member with the most points
earned at sanctioned races throughout the season will be crowned the National Ski
Joring Champion at an awards ceremony held immediately following the final day of
racing.
| North American Ski Joring Association 2003-2010 All rights reserved. website maintained by Brooke Smith |
| Western Address: North American Ski Joring Association P.O. Box 1745 Red Lodge, MT 59068 Phone: 406-425-1113 North East Address: North American Ski Joring Association 1429 King Hill Rd. New London, NH 03257 Phone: 603-667-3774 |
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